People living with severe mental illness – such as bipolar or schizophrenia – die on average 15 to 20 years younger than the general population. Two in three deaths are due to physical illnesses that could be prevented or treated.
Reducing premature mortality needs to be a major focus across all health and social care, including government, and it is time for concerted action to close the gap and address the inequality which is so evident in this report.
It is only right that individuals with severe mental health needs should be given the appropriate support they need to access physical health care services. While adults with severe mental illness are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours like excessive smoking and higher alcohol intake, they are also less likely to access physical health screening and treatment.
We need to change that and I welcome the many reflections and recommendations from the report including sustained funding for outreach, the emphasis on utilising people with lived experience and recruiting dedicated roles to deliver physical health checks on those with severe mental illness.
From an inpatient perspective we take our responsibilities seriously to ensure the physical health needs of those in our care are met. We have dedicated physical health care professionals who provide training and support for our staff and we work hard to ensure patients have access to physical healthcare to support them live healthier lives.
We are committed to working together to provide innovative and above all compassionate approaches to help reduce the existing health disparities being seen in the community and ensure those most in need get the support they deserve.